[tomscy2000]

Wow, perhaps I was wrong about TDK getting serious about the headphone business (this will be reflected in my review of the BA200)... they seem completely clueless! Their stuff just doesn't seem very well publicized, and their lack of information dissemination reflects that. I'm wondering, however, if it might have to do with their corporate structure. It seems like all headphone operations fall under the moniker of 'TDK Performance', and a label of 'TDK/Imation' seems like it's concentrating on recording media. They most likely weren't the people in charge.
 
Quote:

The first TDK person I talked to didn't know what the BA200 was. The second was surprised at my asking to audition an earphone. The third told me there was a demo set but it turned out there wasn't - the only two pairs they had were attached firmly to a display stand. 

 

 

[i2ehan]

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The K3003 wasn't on display but they would take you to an audition room if you asked for it so I got a nice sit-down listen. I would say clarity and resolution are its strengths, very close to the Miracle if not just as good. It wasn't quite as smooth as the Miracle and a bit less 3-d and enveloping in presentation but I would say it's probably the best universal I've heard.

 
At that price, it had damn well better be! 

 
That said, it's nice to know the K3003 isn't just remarkably appealing (at least in my eyes), but performs just as well. Now, where'd that wallet run off to... 

 

[jjmai]

Quote:

Wow, perhaps I was wrong about TDK getting serious about the headphone business (this will be reflected in my review of the BA200)... they seem completely clueless! Their stuff just doesn't seem very well publicized, and their lack of information dissemination reflects that. I'm wondering, however, if it might have to do with their corporate structure. It seems like all headphone operations fall under the moniker of 'TDK Performance', and a label of 'TDK/Imation' seems like it's concentrating on recording media. They most likely weren't the people in charge.
 


 

Well, on TDK's defence, it was more of Imation booth, rather than a dedicated TDK booth.
Most of their headphones are secured to the display boards with very short cords so you couldn't demo.  I did try out ST800 though, but I was surprised that volume control (by spinning the wheel on one of the cans) is digital instead of analog, and has very noticeable delay.
But it's definitely nostalgic seeing them do this:

 

 

[shotgunshane]

Wow, it's amazing to me that companies send out employees to host the booths that don't have a clue about their products.  On second thought maybe I shouldn't be amazed, as I know how well the company I work for has customer service reps that know very little of our own products and processes.  

 

[mbamg]

Quote:

Wow, it's amazing to me that companies send out employees to host the booths that don't have a clue about their products.  On second thought maybe I shouldn't be amazed, as I know how well the company I work for has customer service reps that know very little of our own products and processes.  

 
Business policy has gone downhill since the 80's. I recall my dad talking about marketing reps and system engineers partnered up to convince clients to buy their services when he was at IBM.
 

 

[Anaxilus]

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And heeeeeere's the MEELEC A161:
 

 
This is MEELEC's Flagship Headphones/IEM. It is said to have accuracy and fidelity of a studio monitor and it has great extension in bass and good punch in bass as well.
 
Also, it has a BA Driver.

Finally it's out!  Assuming they didn't change the sig from a year ago that thing is very nice, best Meelec I've heard yet.  
 

 

[Inks]

Assuming it will sound close to the SBA03, I agree. Knowing Meelec, the pricing should be great as well. It should 100$ retail imo, with the possibility of going quite lower due to Meelec's occasional sales. It is going to have tough competition from other balanced single BAs with a mic (PFE1s/UE600vi/HF3-2/XBA-1ip). 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

Not surprised by those on the top, but I expected Westone to be up there. 

Lol, I had to wait 20-25 minutes for them to hunt down the demo for me last year as well.  The bass w/ the silicone flanges I usually use almost knocked me out of the chair i was sitting in.  I guess people didn't believe me.  

  The bass on my ES5 custom is a bit more tame but still quite visceral when need be.  If I kick up the gain on my amp the bass driver really lights up similarly to the demo set.
 
@joker
 
Wish I knew you were going I would have told you who to seek out.  This is the man!  Great guy all around.
 

 
 Questions about audiology and ear molds definitely look up Michael West.  He did mine and nailed the molds.  The difference between his and the UE ones done at CES were night and day.  Publishes on the matter too.
 
 
 
 

 

[kiteki]

Thanks for your CES impressions ljokerl.
 
Someone said the XBA-3 has more bass than the XBA-4, and the XBA-4 had more prominent mids, another person said it sounds crap from Apple devices, the impressions are all over the place. ^^
 
Can the XBA-1 compete with, say... the Klipsch X10 do you think?
 
The Aviator sounds pretty balanced for a Skullcandy and looks nice but didn't seem to excel at anything and had recessed vocals iirc...
 

 

[tomscy2000]

Yeah, that was what I was leaning toward; I'm guessing the reps there were from Imation and not TDK's personal audio division. I wonder if they still sell tapes? I always thought those metal-film tape cartridges were so cool, but were too prohibitively expensive for me to buy.
Quote:

Well, on TDK's defence, it was more of Imation booth, rather than a dedicated TDK booth. Most of their headphones are secured to the display boards with very short cords so you couldn't demo.  I did try out ST800 though, but I was surprised that volume control (by spinning the wheel on one of the cans) is digital instead of analog, and has very noticeable delay. But it's definitely nostalgic seeing them do this:
 

 

 
Quote:

Wow, it's amazing to me that companies send out employees to host the booths that don't have a clue about their products.  On second thought maybe I shouldn't be amazed, as I know how well the company I work for has customer service reps that know very little of our own products and processes.  

 

 

[Anaxilus]

Quote:

I always thought those metal-film tape cartridges were so cool, but were too prohibitively expensive for me to buy.

Not at all, you just don't eat.  That's what I did, lol.  Now I've got a wall full of them and I can see I haven't learned a damned thing about the money to audio relationship since I was a kid.  

 

 

[tomscy2000]

haha, I wish I had your courage! Seeing these things also reminded me of the more recent ATRAC miniDisc, which died an equally unceremonious death. Well, perhaps it never got off the ground in the first place...
 
Quote:

Not at all, you just don't eat.  That's what I did, lol.  Now I've got a wall full of them and I can see I haven't learned a damned thing about the money to audio relationship since I was a kid.  

 

 

[dogears]

And?... the suspense is killing me...

 
Quote:

Originally Posted by ljokerl /img/forum/go_quote.gif
Just my quick impressions. Westone guys I talked to weren't sure an ES5 demo was available, one was surprised I asked to 'demo' a set of customs and tried to tell me they had to be customized to my ears (which I would have easily agreed to

). They found the demo kit eventually.
 

 

 

[ljokerl]

 
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Have to say, I'm interested in the XBA-1. Never really got interested in the 4 since it seemed more of a V-shaped sound. 
 
No XBA-3 demo?

Didn't bother since I was short on time and really wanted to get to the AKG booth. IMO the XBA-1 is pretty well-balanced. Anything that adds a bass driver will be on the bassy side.

 
Quote:

Well, on TDK's defence, it was more of Imation booth, rather than a dedicated TDK booth.
Most of their headphones are secured to the display boards with very short cords so you couldn't demo.  I did try out ST800 though, but I was surprised that volume control (by spinning the wheel on one of the cans) is digital instead of analog, and has very noticeable delay.
But it's definitely nostalgic seeing them do this:
 
 

I tried out the cans while waiting as well. Didn't think any of them were great but of course they were plugged into the demo stand so I wouldn't trust my own impressions. Everything listed on the previous page I got to try out of my own J3 with familiar tracks.
 


Quote:

Lol, I had to wait 20-25 minutes for them to hunt down the demo for me last year as well.  The bass w/ the silicone flanges I usually use almost knocked me out of the chair i was sitting in.  I guess people didn't believe me.  

  The bass on my ES5 custom is a bit more tame but still quite visceral when need be.  If I kick up the gain on my amp the bass driver really lights up similarly to the demo set.
 
@joker
 
Wish I knew you were going I would have told you who to seek out.  This is the man!  Great guy all around.

This matches my impressions. The guy who brought out the demo kit did say he thought the Demo sounded 99% identical to his customized ES5 but I'm not sure I believe that. The bass was very strong, more so than the XBA-4 IMO. Really stark difference in bass qty between the ES5 demo and the Miracle, and I thought the Miracle already had slightly more bass than 'flat'. Bass detail was good, though, and I couldn't tell any problems with the midrange or treble in my short audition. I did think the overall tone was slightly darker than the Miracle and of course the presentation wasn't as impressive as the (custom) Miracle. 
 


Quote:

Thanks for your CES impressions ljokerl.
 
Someone said the XBA-3 has more bass than the XBA-4, and the XBA-4 had more prominent mids, another person said it sounds crap from Apple devices, the impressions are all over the place. ^^
 
Can the XBA-1 compete with, say... the Klipsch X10 do you think?
 
The Aviator sounds pretty balanced for a Skullcandy and looks nice but didn't seem to excel at anything and had recessed vocals iirc...
 

 
XBA-1 signature is quite different from the X10, plus its priced much lower. I think it'll have enough competition in the Fischer SBA-03 and Ety HF5 which are more similar in signature, plus the RE-ZERO, etc. The Sonys are definitely less analytical than the armature-based Etys and seem to be slightly thicker and smoother but I would need an A:B comparison to be sure. The impressive part is that it's cheaper than all of the above. I can envision one complaint being that the signature is too safe and 'boring', much like the Ety MC5.
 
 

 

[kiteki]

 
Ah yeah XBA-1 versus HF5 and RE0/-Zero would be interesting.
 
 
"The guy who brought out the demo kit did say he thought the Demo sounded 99% identical to his customized ES5"
 
If that's true, you may as well just ask Westone to make you a universal ES5 with comply tip.